The Spiritual Watch
Below, please find the latest issue of The Spiritual Watch, the official publication of the Metropolis of America, published with the blessings of His Eminence, Metropolitan Demetrius of America. In The Spiritual Watch, you will find news and information regarding our Holy Metropolis, as well as spiritual writings.
The Spiritual Watch, Vol VII (New: February 24/March 8, 2024)
Quote From the Fathers
[Abba Moses said:] 'Fasts and vigils, the study of Scripture, renouncing possessions and everything wordly are not in themselves perfection, as we have said; they are its tools. For perfection is not to be found in them; it is acquired through them. It is useless, therefore, to boast of our fasting, vigils, poverty, and reading of Scripture when we have not achieved the love of God and our fellow man. Whoever has achieved love has God within himself and his intellect is always with God.'
—St. John Cassian, On the Holy Fathers of Sketis.
Monasteries
Men's Monastic Communities
New York
St. John of San Francisco Orthodox Monastery
151 Heron Road
Cobleskill, NY 12043
Abbot: Metropolitan Demetrius of America
Bishop Benedict
Priestmonk Haralampos
Priestmonk Ignatius
Priestmonk Theologos
Priestmonk Joachim
Hierodeacon Sergius
Hierodeacon Demetrius
Phone - Line #1 - 518-254-7283
Phone - Line #2 - 518-254-7284
Phone - Line #3 - 518-254-7285
Phone - Line #4 - 518-254-7286-Metropolitan's Line
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: saintjohnsmonastery.org
Cobleskill, NY 12043
Abbot: Metropolitan Demetrius of America
Bishop Benedict
Priestmonk Haralampos
Priestmonk Ignatius
Priestmonk Theologos
Priestmonk Joachim
Hierodeacon Sergius
Hierodeacon Demetrius
Phone - Line #1 - 518-254-7283
Phone - Line #2 - 518-254-7284
Phone - Line #3 - 518-254-7285
Phone - Line #4 - 518-254-7286-Metropolitan's Line
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: saintjohnsmonastery.org
Monastery of the Dormition of the Holy Theotokos
A dependency of the Monastery of St. John of San Francisco
484 Pucker Street
Preston Hollow, New York 12469
Contact: Hieromonk Damian, Igoumen
Phone: 518-239-4650
Preston Hollow, New York 12469
Contact: Hieromonk Damian, Igoumen
Phone: 518-239-4650
Quebec, Canada
Monastery of Saint John the Theologian
500 St. Damien Road, Ste Emelie de L'Energie
Montreal, QC J0K-2K0, Canada
Phone: 514-276-8408
Montreal, QC J0K-2K0, Canada
Phone: 514-276-8408
Guatemala
Hermitage of St. Ignatius the God-bearer
A dependency of the Monastery of St. John of San Francisco
Santa Cruz Naranja, Guatemala
Santa Cruz Naranja, Guatemala
California
Monastery of Saint Gregory of Sinai
Physical Address:
Loch Lomond, California
Postal Address:
8252 Harrington Flat Rd
Kelseyville, California 95451-7711
Abbot: Bishop Sergios of Portland
Priestmonk Parthenius
Priestmonk Patrick
Hierodeacon Moses
Phone: 707-279-0488
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: gsinai.com
Loch Lomond, California
Postal Address:
8252 Harrington Flat Rd
Kelseyville, California 95451-7711
Abbot: Bishop Sergios of Portland
Priestmonk Parthenius
Priestmonk Patrick
Hierodeacon Moses
Phone: 707-279-0488
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: gsinai.com
Saint Gregory Palamas Monastery
P.O. Box 398
1307 Sawyers Bar Rd.
Etna, California 96027-0126
Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Etna
Bishop Auxentios of Photike
Abbot: Archimandrite Akakios
Hieromonk Gregory
Hieromonk Patapios
Hierodeacon Nectarios
Hierodeacon Photii
Phone: 530-467-3228
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: ctosonline.org
1307 Sawyers Bar Rd.
Etna, California 96027-0126
Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Etna
Bishop Auxentios of Photike
Abbot: Archimandrite Akakios
Hieromonk Gregory
Hieromonk Patapios
Hierodeacon Nectarios
Hierodeacon Photii
Phone: 530-467-3228
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: ctosonline.org
Women's Monastic Communities
New York
Monastery of Saint Syncletike
Farmingdale, NY
Website: The Nuns' Garden and The Sermons of the Saints
The Saint Syncletike Monastery is a small private women's community, founded by Metropolitan of Astoria Petros of blessed memory, in 1978. Under the guidance of the abbess, Gerontissa Siglikiti, the Sisters teach, sew priestly vestments, paint icons and maintain the monastery's gardens.
Website: The Nuns' Garden and The Sermons of the Saints
The Saint Syncletike Monastery is a small private women's community, founded by Metropolitan of Astoria Petros of blessed memory, in 1978. Under the guidance of the abbess, Gerontissa Siglikiti, the Sisters teach, sew priestly vestments, paint icons and maintain the monastery's gardens.
Saint Clement of Ohrid Convent
530 Colby Rd, Schoharie, NY 12157
Phone: 518-702-4012
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 518-702-4012
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Quebec, Canada
Convent of St. Anna
7870 Rue Birnam
Montreal, QC H3N 2T4, Canada
Contact: Archimandrite Nikodemos, Igoumenos
Phone: (514) 276-8408
Fax: (514) 276-9144
Montreal, QC H3N 2T4, Canada
Contact: Archimandrite Nikodemos, Igoumenos
Phone: (514) 276-8408
Fax: (514) 276-9144
Alberta, Canada
Convent of the Protection of the Holy Virgin Mary
RR # 2
Bluffton, Alberta TOC OMO Canada
Abbess: Mother Amvrosia
Serving Priest: Fr. Dionisije (Dimitrijevic), Hieromonk
Phone: 403-843-6401
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Bluffton, Alberta TOC OMO Canada
Abbess: Mother Amvrosia
Serving Priest: Fr. Dionisije (Dimitrijevic), Hieromonk
Phone: 403-843-6401
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
California
Convent of St. Elizabeth the Grand Duchess of Russia
P.O. Box 126
25 Forest Walk
Etna, California 96027-0126
Abbess: Mother Elizabeth
Serving Priest: Fr. George Mavromatis, Presbyter
Phone: 530-467-5625
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: http://conventofsaintelizabeth.org/
25 Forest Walk
Etna, California 96027-0126
Abbess: Mother Elizabeth
Serving Priest: Fr. George Mavromatis, Presbyter
Phone: 530-467-5625
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: http://conventofsaintelizabeth.org/
Upcoming
Latest News
- Theophany in Greece 2025
- Feast of St. Demetrius 2024
- 2024 Family & Youth Conference Photos
- Services Held to Honor the Sanctity of Saint Ioasaph of Edmonton and Buenos Aires
- His Grace Bishop Benedict of Astoria Ordained Bishop
- ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ: ΧΕΙΡΟΤΟΝΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΘΕΟΦΙΛΕΣΤΑΤΟΥ ΒΕΝΕΔΙΚΤΟΥ ΕΜΨΗΦΙΣΜΕΝΟΥ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ ΑΣΤΟΡΙΑΣ
- Announcement: The Ordination of His Grace Bishop-elect Benedict of Astoria
- Deacon Andrew Wales Ordained a Priest
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About the Church
The Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians (GOC) of America is The Traditionalist Orthodox Church serving the faithful of North and South America following the old (Julian) calendar. Having its roots in the Diocese of Astoria, founded by Metropolitan Petros (Astyfides) in 1954, it presently consists of two Metropolises (America and Toronto) and two dioceses (Etna and Portland, and Boston), shepherded by five hierarchs, under the Presidency of His Eminence, Metropolitan Demetrius of America.
The Church of the GOC of America is an autonomous Eparchy whose Mother Church is The Holy Synod of the Church of the GOC of Greece, under the Presidency of His Beatitude Archbishop Kallinikos of Athens and All Greece. The bishops belonging to the Eparchial Synod are also members of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece. We resist the heresy of Ecumenism.
Orthodox Awareness
Hero-Worshipping: the Sickness of our Holy Struggle
“Trust ye not in princes, in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.”
(Psalm 145:3)
We mustn’t have absolute trust in human beings for our salvation, no matter what dignity they have. Human beings are changeable. Today they are saints, tomorrow—deniers. Today—sinners, tomorrow—righteous. We must have absolute trust in God, and in Him we must base our hopes of salvation. “Blessed is he of whom the God of Jacob is his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God” (Psalm 145:5). Read more...
Missions
Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Mission, Tucson, Arizona
Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church is a beautiful mission parish near downtown Tucson, a city in southern Arizona. It was started in 1997 by Father John Bockman, who was a missionary Priest formerly serving missions in Tennessee and Massachusetts since 1990. Father John served the faithful in Tucson and the surrounding area in his home Chapel until his repose in November of 2000. His wife, Presbytera Valerie, continued to make her home Chapel available for the mission, with clergy from Saint Nectarios Orthodox Church in Seattle and His Eminence, Metropolitan Moses of Toronto (then of Portland), visiting to provide the Divine Services.
Read more...Youth
2025 Youth Conference
Please join us for the 2025 youth conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada! To learn more, visit the conference website.
Ask A Priest
Morning and Evening Prayers
Q. Are the prayers in the blue prayer book [A Prayerbook for Orthodox Christians by the Holy Transfiguration Monastery —ed.] compulsory for everyone? I mean their morning prayers and the service of Small Compline. My confessor gave me a special rule but wasn’t clear about whether this replaced the book prayers or was in addition to them. Read more...
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